The brothers adopted the name Louvin Brothers in the 1940s as they began their career in gospel music. Their first foray into secular music was the minor hit "The Get Acquainted Waltz", recorded with Chet Atkins. Other hits included "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "When I Stop Dreaming". They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and stayed there until breaking up in 1963.
Their songs were heavily influenced by their Baptist faith and warned against sin. Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking, womanizing, and short temper. He was married four times; his third wife Faye shot him four times in the chest and twice in the hand after he allegedly beat her. Although seriously injured, he survived. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin; otherwise his style was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe.
As of 1963, Charlie was making enough money that he was able to start a solo career, and Ira also went on his own.
Ira died on June 20, 1965, at the age of 41. He and his fourth wife, Anne Young, were on the way home from a performance in Kansas City when they came to a section of construction on Highway 70 outside of Williamsburg, Missouri where traffic had been reduced down to one lane. A drunken driver struck their car head-on, and both Ira and Anne were killed instantaneously.[4] At the time, a warrant for Ira's arrest had been issued on a DUI charge.
Country-rock band The Byrds recorded the Louvin-penned "The Christian Life" for their 1968 release Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The tribute CD Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers, produced by Carl Jackson and Kathy Louvin and released in 2003, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Although the brothers are still remembered today for their musical talent, they are also remembered for the unusual cover used for their 1959 album, Satan Is Real. Designed by Ira Louvin, the cover features the brothers standing in a rock quarry in front of a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) plywood rendition of the Devil as several hidden tires soaked in kerosene burn behind them as fire and brimstone. While some reviewers count this as being one of the "greatest iconic album covers of all time", the cover can also be found today on several Web sites celebrating unusual or bizarre album covers. The cover has also become an Internet meme on a number of Web sites such as Fark.com, where it has been posted in discussion threads as an example of religious views of the era.
The opening bars of the album's title track "Satan is Real" can be heard at the beginning of Hank Williams III's "Medley: Straight to Hell / Satan is Real", on his Straight to Hell album of 2006. It is also excerpted in Will Ferrell's 2009 one-man Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
The Great Atomic Power
The Louvin Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are we all in great confusion, do we know the time or hour
When a terrible explosion may ring down upon our land
Leaving horrible destruction blotting out the works of man
Are you ready for that great atomic power?
Will you rise and meet your Savior in the end?
Will you shout or will you cry when the fire rains from on high?
There is one way to escape and be prepared to meet the Lord
Give your heart and soul to Jesus, He will be your shield and sword
He will surely stand beside and you'll never taste of death
For your soul will fly to safety and eternal peace and rest
Are you ready for that great atomic power?
Will you rise and meet your Savior in the end?
Will you shout or will you cry when the fire rains from on high?
Are you ready for that great atomic power?
There's an army who can conquer all the enemy's great bands
It's a regiment of Christians guided by the Savior's hand
When the mushroom of destruction falls and all it's fury great
God will surely save His children from this awful, awful fate
Are you ready for that great atomic power?
Will you rise and meet your Savior in the end?
Will you shout or will you cry when the fire rains from on high?
Are you ready for that great atomic power?
The Louvin Brothers' song, "The Great Atomic Power" is a commentary on the fear that people had during the Cold War era about nuclear weapons and the potential devastation that could result from their use. The lyrics question whether people are afraid of this new technology, and if they are aware of the potential destruction that it could bring. The song then goes on to suggest that the only way to truly be safe from the destruction of a nuclear weapon is to give oneself to Jesus and have faith in salvation.
The lyrics ask the listener about their preparedness for the "great atomic power." It suggests that the only way to truly combat the fear of nuclear warfare is to have faith in religion and the afterlife. The song is addressing the intense fear and anxiety that people were feeling at the time, and offering a potential solution to those fears.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you fear this man's invention that they call atomic power?
Do you feel apprehensive about the creation of atomic power by man?
Are we all in great confusion, do we know the time or hour
Are we all uncertain and confused about when the inevitable destruction caused by atomic power will occur?
When a terrible explosion may ring down upon our land
When an enormous explosion caused by atomic power may strike our land
Leaving horrible destruction blotting out the works of man
Causing destruction so severe that it will wipe out all the creations of mankind
Are you ready for that great atomic power?
Are you ready to face the destructive power of atomic energy?
Will you rise and meet your Savior in the end?
Will you be prepared to meet your savior at the end of your life?
Will you shout or will you cry when the fire rains from on high?
Will you express joy or sorrow when the fire caused by atomic power rains from above?
There is one way to escape and be prepared to meet the Lord
There is only one solution to escape the destruction and be able to meet the lord
Give your heart and soul to Jesus, He will be your shield and sword
Submit yourself to Jesus, and he will be your source of protection
He will surely stand beside and you'll never taste of death
He will be your companion and you won't have to experience death
For your soul will fly to safety and eternal peace and rest
Your soul will attain safety and eternal peace and rest
There's an army who can conquer all the enemy's great bands
There is an army of Christians who can defeat all the enemies' groups
It's a regiment of Christians guided by the Savior's hand
It's a military unit consisting of Christians guided by the hand of the savior
When the mushroom of destruction falls and all it's fury great
When the mushroom cloud caused by atomic power spreads and causes immense destruction
God will surely save His children from this awful, awful fate
God will surely protect his children from this terrible fate
Contributed by Benjamin R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.